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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29403582">The Dragon Emblem</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/infiniteleecity/pseuds/paperbluehyacinth'>paperbluehyacinth (infiniteleecity)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Character Death/s, Historical, Homophobia, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Mentions of Suicide, Theft, World War II, time-travel fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:08:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>18,392</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29403582</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/infiniteleecity/pseuds/paperbluehyacinth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark Lee joins an Historical Anthropology class to help him with bring his grades up in order to stay in his Film Program in his university. He is partnered with Nakamoto Yuta, a highly intimidating senior of the Anthropology department who would stop at nothing to become top of the year.</p><p>In an attempt to submit a perfect report, they end up transported into the past where they have to solve a mystery in order for them to return to the future.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mark Lee/Nakamoto Yuta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Kingdom Come Round One</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Dragon Emblem</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Warning: implied suicide, character death/s, homophobic comments</p><p>Prompt: person a has recently joined a historical anthropology team. they meet person b and together they have to put together an unsolved historical mystery!<br/>----<br/>I don't think the prompter intended this to be so angsty but I am an angst writer lol. </p><p>Other than the NCT characters, only Mina and Kim Jaekyung are real people I know. The other names (especially the Japanese ones) I got from video games.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>one.</b>
  </span>
  <b><br/>
</b>
  <b>
    <span class="u">2021</span><br/>
<br/>
</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark Lee walked back to his dorm room feeling deflated. He got back from a meeting with his program adviser, Mr. Moon, telling him that his grades last semester weren't good. (His adviser was just being nice, but Mark knew his grades were bad). His adviser told him that if he wouldn't be able to get his grades back up, then he'd probably get kicked out of his program.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark was a third-year film major, and the only reason why he failed his last semester was that he was doing a short film. Despite explaining that to his adviser, Mr. Moon still threatened to remove him from the program. Mark loved being a film major and learning about films; he just really didn't like studying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he opened the door to his door room, a small bird suddenly flew above his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry!" he heard someone say. When he looked up, he saw a very tall, young-looking man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello?" Mark said cautiously. The man smiled, adjusting the glasses on his face. The bird continued hooting beside Mark, and only when Mark turned to it did he realize that it was an owl — a very small owl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who are you?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I'm your new roommate. My name is Jung Sungchan," the other man said. </span>
  <span>He put down the wide, metal contraption in his right hand — a cage — and kept his left arm elevated</span>
  <span>. Mark then realized what was resting on his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that a lizard?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sungchan smiled. "It's a chameleon actually."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He approached Mark to show him the chameleon and Mark saw it change color. If he wasn't mad at himself, he would've been impressed. "I don't really need to see it," Mark said, heading to their small kitchenette. "Why do you have so many animals with you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm a veterinary medicine student," Sungchan replied, adjusting his glasses again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I see," Mark remarked, pulling a can of soda from the mini-fridge. "I'm Mark, by the way."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sungchan nodded excitedly. "I know who you are. Your name was on the dorm form they sent it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed. He hadn't even looked at the dorm form that was sent to him. It was probably still in the envelope somewhere in his room. He never really cared for those things anyway. Since his first year, he hadn't left his dorm ever. His roommates just tended to pack up and leave, and he’d have a new one the next year. He didn't mind; it wasn’t like he was home a lot anyway. Still, he should've at least given a care of who his new roommate would be since he seemed to be... </span>
  <em>
    <span>interesting</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark started to think of questions he should ask his new roommate — to get to know him better. But before he could ask any, his phone rang. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, are you back at the dorms?" his best friend, Na Jaemin, said from the other line of the call.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," Mark answered. He looked over at Sungchan who looked to be petting his pet chameleon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, that's great. I'm on my way there," Jaemin said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you please tell me prior if you're going here? My new roommate is here, and I don't want him to be shocked," Mark said walking towards the living room. Sungchan had placed his chameleon in its case (whatever you called it) and was now running around the room trying to catch the owl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm already coming in. It's too late for that," Jaemin said. Mark was about to hang up the call, but then he saw Sungchan standing in front of the door, reaching for the owl perched on top of the doorway.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait, Jaem! Don't open the door yet," Mark said, but the door had already been open</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fortunately, Sungchan moved out of the way before Jaemin could hit him with the door. But by opening the door, Jaemin didn’t realize he had frightened the owl. The owl didn’t take that kindly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>What the fuck?" </span>
  </em>
  <span>Jaemin muttered, standing on the doorway, his head covered in owl excrement.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry Tim defecated on you," Sungchan said, trying to help Jaemin clean his hair. Jaemin kept shooing him away. "Did you know getting excreted on by a bird is said to be good luck?" Sungchan questioned. Jaemin rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I believe in science rather than suspicions," Jaemin remarked, unimpressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sungchan pouted. "I believe in science, too,” he said in a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark shook his head listening to his best friend and roommate argue while digging into the lemon pie Jaemin had brought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you even doing here, Jaem?" Mark asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin proceeded to slice himself some pie before answering. "I was going to ask if you had finished getting your subjects."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the mention of his subjects, Mark groaned. He started explaining about his talk with his adviser and that the only subjects he was allowed to get were the ones he failed last semester. Even then, he still needed other subjects to get his grades up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know what to do," he complained, slumping down on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can take some elective classes," Sungchan suggested. He adjusted his glasses back up again. Mark stared at him, urging him to continue. "Of course you should check your program first if you can take non-Film related electives, but if you take some social sciences, it's easy to get your grades back up. They usually just give you high grades at the end of the term anyway," Sungchan explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're a vet-med student. Why are you taking social sciences?" Jaemin asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sungchan started playing with his fingers, seemingly nervous. He shrugged, answering, "I needed extra credit."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin stared at him before snickering. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>At the suggestion of Sungchan, Mark decided to take an elective class. His initiative seemed to make his adviser glad, and he even offered to talk to some of his professor friends to get him a slot in their class. Eventually, they settled for a Historical Anthropology class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately for Mark, that was the first subject he needed to go to on the first day of class. Extremely nervous, he stood in front of the classroom, not eager to go in. Other students, who seemed to be friends with each other, had already passed through those doors. Mark wasn't sociable; he was friendly when he knew someone already, but getting to know people was always the challenge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you not coming in?" someone voiced behind him. He turned to see a young man, probably a little older than him, looking down at him with an annoyed look on his face. Mark stopped and stared. The man in front of him looked like he was plucked out of a historical drama. He was wearing clothes that definitely weren't modern, and his hair reminded Mark of the men he watched from World War II films. It definitely caught Mark off guard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you're not, can you step away?" he said. Mark stepped back, not even bothering to defend himself. Once the older guy entered, he followed after. He took a seat at the front seeing the guy he just encountered sit at the back; he wanted to put a lot of distance between the as much as possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough, to Mark’s relief, the professor came in and started introducing the subject.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Unexpectedly, Mark enjoyed the class — even if they only talked about requirements and what to expect for the remaining semester. Still, Mark was confident this class was going to be a happy ride. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the class was nearing the end, the professor stopped his presentation and started talking about a big project they had to pass at the end of the term.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This project is going to be done in pairs. I had already paired you together when I got my class list, so please, no complaining. Also, you can't change partners."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The professor started calling out names, and people paired together. He was getting anxious that the guy he had met earlier still hadn't been called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark Lee," the professor called. He raised his hand for the professor to see. Once the professor acknowledged him, he called another name, "and Nakamoto Yuta."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark looked towards the direction where the professor was looking and saw the guy he had met earlier raise his hand. He didn't look impressed to be partnered with Mark, either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All thought of having a fun semester in this class suddenly flew from Mark’s mind. He sighed. “You can only go up from here,” Mark told himself as the professor started explaining what their project was going to be. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>A month had passed and Mark still had no success in getting through Yuta. He had been trying, but Yuta didn’t seem to want to listen to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, the chameleon is for a class project?" Jaemin asked, biting into his chicken sandwich. Sungchan nodded. Sungchan had somewhat become a friend to them owing to the fact that he always had the same lunch schedule as them. Most of his classmates in his degree program had either an early late or a late one, leaving Sungchan alone. Jaemin took pity on the young guy and invited him to eat. He'd been joining them ever since.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then why do you have an owl?" Jaemin questioned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sungchan swallowed his food before answering, adjusting the glasses on his face. Mark smiled, finding his roommate's small quirks quite endearing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was a gift from my father; he's an explorer," Sungchan answered. "It was either that or a red panda."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then why pick the owl?" Jaemin asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's healthier than having red pandas around. They can cause virus outbreaks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you eat them," Jaemin remarked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or if you get bitten," Sungchan corrected. “Besides, red pandas are endangered.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin sighed, proceeding to ignore their animal-loving friend. He turned to Mark instead who was silently eating his salad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And what is this about your bad group mate or whatever it is?" Jaemin asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's not bad," Mark started. "He's just... temperamental."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You should just talk to him. All relationships work with proper conversation — including work relations," Jaemin said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark finished his salad, dumping his empty plate on the tray.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's if I can actually get him to talk to me," Mark complained. Jaemin and Sungchan rushed to finish their food when the first bell rang, signaling that lunch was almost over. They stood up from their tables, heading towards the disposal bins to drop off their plates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark's phone rang. Being too busy reaching for his phone in his bag, he didn't realize he was walking towards someone. The crash inevitably came, which resulted in his can of coke (he thought it was empty) getting dumped all over a person.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," Mark started. He looked up and was surprised to see no other than Nakamoto Yuta. "Fuck," he whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta looked up and grimaced. "You really make a mess wherever you go huh?" he asked, dumping his food tray at one of the bins. Mark was about to say that he should separate his utensil in the proper bins but stopped himself, seeing as this whole mess was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>fault.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you know him?" Sungchan asked, watching Yuta walk away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's my Anthropology partner," Mark said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is why we drink only water, Mark," Jaemin chided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It still makes you wet," Sungchan remarked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin shrugged. "Yes, but at least it doesn't stain."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mark rushed out of the cafeteria to follow Yuta. He wanted to say sorry before their next class, not wanting to make it more awkward between them. He knew it was an accident, but he was still responsible for causing it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, he was able to catch up to his anthropology partner at the steps of the library. "Yuta," he shouted, causing the older man to stop. Yuta turned to look at him, annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," Mark apologized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Save your sorry, Mark Lee," Yuta drawled. "Besides, I don't want you to say sorry every time you mess up." He continued walking up the stairs, but Mark stopped him, grabbing his wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta, unimpressed, glared at him. Mark quickly let go, not wanting to make the situation worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why do you hate me so much?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta snickered. "I don't hate you," he said. "I just don't like you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Same thing," Mark commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta snickered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed, and clenched his fist. He was determined to make this situation better and finally get Nakamoto Yuta to talk to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm just trying my best like you are," Mark argued. He made sure to keep his voice in a normal tone so that it wouldn’t look like he was angry. Though, he was starting to feel frustrated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, we're different," Yuta remarked. "You're trying your best because you already failed. I'm trying my best because I don't want to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark stepped back, surprised at the desperation present in Yuta’s words. He was only trying to explain himself; he didn't mean to strike a nerve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't want to fail because it'll remove you from your program, but we all know you can live in this world even if you drop out of college. Artists are all the same," Yuta started. "You act as if you get the worst of it, but you always get the long end of the stick. You have so many platforms dedicated to you, and that's still not enough."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark swallowed, not knowing what to say. He had never been told this before. Well, all his friends were artists. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How many historians, anthropologists or sociologist do you know?" Yuta asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark couldn’t answer. "We have to get a degree to make a name for ourselves, and even then, getting a job isn't easy because the amount of jobs we can do is three times less than what is offered to artists like you," Yuta said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark bit down on the bottom of his lips, suddenly feeling embarrassed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta stared him down, rolling his eyes before continuing to walk towards the library.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just want a good life in the long run, Mark. If you're just going to ruin that, then go."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark, determined, ran up the stairs, crossing Yuta. He stopped two steps above Yuta to look down at the older guy. He needed to be heard and this was how he was going to do it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Give me a chance," Mark started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Give me a chance to prove myself," he explained. "I might not be the best student when it comes to my individual needs, but I can be a good student for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta snickered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If I fail you, then you can do this project alone or grade me zero in the evaluation test, but I at least want to try to help," Mark said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta sighed and stared at him for a while, as if looking for something. Eventually, he nodded,  removing something from his bag and passing it to Mark. It was a pamphlet of a museum — The Hidden Artifices. Mark had heard about this museum, but he didn't know anything about it. It was a strange museum — at least from what he had heard. It was full of artifacts no one would actually care about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's my grandmother's museum," Yuta said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark swallowed. He was glad Yuta couldn't read his thoughts or else he probably just threw his second chance out of the window. "Meet me there Friday afternoon after class. We can find something to write about there," Yuta said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continued walking towards the library, ignoring Mark completely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You do know we have to talk about unsolved stuff of history, right?" Mark shouted. Yuta waved him off, not saying anything else. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Despite giving him a ’second chance’, Yuta still didn't talk to him much in school. The good news, though, was that he didn't give Mark any more dirty looks.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Progress was progress, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Mark thought as he walked towards the museum. Jaemin and Sungchan were walking behind him, discussing some more medical stuff that Mark couldn't understand even if he tried. Sungchan asked to join because going to a museum seemed to be an exciting thing to do, and Jaemin drove them there (and will probably drive them back), so having him come along was just a natural thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't know you were bringing friends," Yuta said as he welcomed them inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They were much more excited than I was," Mark said. Yuta grimaced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The museum wasn't what Mark expected. It looked more like a house that someone converted into a museum. In the hallway, a big picture of a Japanese woman hang.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's Noriko Sato," Yuta said when the three of them stopped and observed. "This place was the former dormitory of the Military Academy during World War II," Yuta explained. Sungchan took out his notebook, furiously writing on it. He adjusted his glasses again as he listened intently to what Yuta was saying. Out of the three of them, he seemed to be the only one interested in actually touring this place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta didn't really have plans to tour Mark, but seeing as he had guests, it was the right thing to do, especially since one of his friends seemed interested. Besides, his grandmother would nag him if he didn't talk about the museum at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Touring the museum was the most active Mark saw Yuta. Yes, he hadn't really been with Yuta outside class, but he always looked uninterested whenever Mark saw him. Seeing him now was like being introduced to a new person. Mark liked this version of Yuta better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough, just after 5pm, a young lady started calling them towards the kitchen to eat a few snacks. Yuta excused himself, saying he wouldn't be joining snack time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She introduced herself as Kim Jaekyung.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you part of the family?" Sungchan asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Jaekyung shook her head. "I just help around. After I graduated, I went to work here. I don't get paid a lot, but I have free housing and free food, so it's not so bad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Does Yuta live here too?" Sungchan asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes," she answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where are his parents? I wonder why they're not around," Sungchan voiced out. Jaekyung shifted on her feet, uncomfortably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They died," she said. "Yuta lived with his grandmother for as long as I remembered."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An awkward silence settled around them. Sungchan proceeded to change the topic of conversation, talking about a painting he was curious about that he saw in the other room. Mark, who had finished eating, went to find Yuta, wondering if they could start to do their project. It'd be better for them to start it soon anyway. They had already wasted time by not talking about it for a month, and seeing as their both in their final years of university the semester will only get busier. Mark just wanted to start this project as soon as possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he was walking around the museum, Mark was drawn towards a single room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It looked like a study.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A couple of objects were placed in their respective display cases, but what captured Mark's attention was a necklace at the far end of the room. He walked towards it and read the note written beside it.</span>
</p><p><em><span>'The necklace with the Dragon Emblem, a gift from Prime Minister Sato to his daughter Noriko. This necklace was involved in a theft case, during 1942,</span></em> <em><span>wherein four innocent men who were suspected of stealing the necklace were hung for theft. Though the necklace was returned, the true suspect who stole the necklace is still unidentified to this day. Since then, Ms. Sato has gifted this necklace to a dear and close friend, Myoui Mina.'</span></em></p><p>
  <span>"Mark," he heard someone call from a distance. He didn't listen, nor did he hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The necklace seemed to be talking to him, attracting him towards it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark didn't remember removing the case on top of the necklace, nor did he remember someone asking him what he was doing. What he remembered, though, was a hand on his wrist and a swirl of darkness. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mark felt himself being shaken. His head was throbbing and there was an uncomfortable cold around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark," someone said. He opened his eyes and saw Yuta peering down at him. He looked mad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where are we?" he asked. Everything was dark around him, and he realized they weren't in the museum anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta cursed. "Did anyone ever tell you not to touch anything in museums?" Yuta remarked. He gripped his hair in frustration. Mark realized that he looked very disheveled. He wasn't used to seeing Yuta this out-of-sorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did I do?" Mark asked. He honestly couldn't remember.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You made a mess," Yuta said, "again," he added, making his point clear. Mark groaned, getting annoyed that he wasn't getting answers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to know what I did," Mark asked, more demanding now. Yuta stood up and smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Want to know what you did?" Yuta asked. "You transported us to 1942."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>two.<br/>
</strong>
  </span>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>1942</strong>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mark didn't believe it. If he was in his right mind, which he is, things like this don’t happen.  Time-travel was something he'd seen in the movies. He wasn't going to just believe that he was in a sort of time-travel story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta had found the light switch as he was explaining the situation, and once the room was lit, Mark realized they were in a bedroom. There were two beds, two closets, and a small drawer that sat between the beds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta passed him a set of clothes, telling him to change so that he wouldn't stand out when they left the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That isn't actually true, right?" Mark asked, as he changed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why would I lie to you about something like this?" Yuta asked, exasperated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed. Yuta had a point. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know," he started, "you might want to annoy me for being a bad group mate or something."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark, let's not be crass," Yuta started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How are you so calm then?" Mark asked. "Do you do this often?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark's eyes widened. He stepped back and stared at Yuta with understanding. "This is why you were stopping me from touching the necklace," Mark started. "It's because you know what will happen if I touch it. You're a time-traveler."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta sighed and clenched his fist. He started to look around, looking for something to hit. Not finding anything, he shouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark, for fuck's sake, I stopped you from touching that necklace because it's a fucking museum," Yuta explained. "My grandmother was careful to take care of everything and that necklace was her most prized possession."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta took a few deep breaths before speaking again, "And you raised the alarm when you removed the display case, so yes, Mark, I did tell you to stop touching the necklace."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then why did you grab my wrist?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because you seemed possessed. You wouldn't let the necklace go," Yuta explained. "The moment I touched you, we got transported here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you know it's 1942 then?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I went out. There's a newspaper outside."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where did you get these clothes?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta proceeded to open a drawer inside the room. Inside were a bunch of clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How convenient," Mark muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You bet. There's also a load of cash inside there too," Yuta said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Won't that be stealing if we take it?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As long as no one looks for it, we'll be fine."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And where are we?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think we're still in the dorm. Everything is familiar," Yuta said. "I know where the stairs are and the kitchens. I've tried to access a few rooms, but they're all locked — they're probably rooms."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Mark said. He finished putting on his shirt and showed himself to Yuta to judge, but Yuta didn't bother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You look fine," he just said, not even looking at him. Mark rolled his eyes, but let it be. He couldn’t believe he just barely made Yuta talk to him, and now they were supposedly in 194, all because of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do we do now?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And how do we go back to our time?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know that either," Yuta answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed, trying to think of a solution. When things like this happened in movies, they usually had to do something or find the object from the present that would be present in the past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We should find the necklace," Mark said. Yuta grimaced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That'll be easy," Yuta remarked. "It's with Noriko Sato."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta reached out for something on the floor and passed it to him; it was a newspaper, dated a few days ago. In front of the paper was a picture of a young girl. Mark realized it was the same woman whose photo was hung in front of the museum, though this girl was a little younger. Around her neck was the necklace with the dragon emblem.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Perfect!" Mark remarked, "we can take it from her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta looked at him incredulously. "Mark, we can't just take it. That's the gift of the Prime Minister. If we take it we'll be executed. Didn't you read the description on the necklace?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I did," Mark said. "But we could ask her for it," Mark said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What would you do if two random strangers came up to you and asked to take your necklace?" Yuta mentioned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark smiled, sheepishly, finally understanding the situation. He started pacing the room to think. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe we have a task to do," Mark said. "In movies, that's usually what you do, right? Go on and adventure or something?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We can only do that if we leave this room."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's go then," Mark said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta stood in front of him and gripped both of his shoulders. "I'm trusting you've watched a lot of historical films seeing as you are a film student," Yuta remarked. Mark nodded, slowly. "So please, channel your inner Don Lockwood and don't speak like a man from 2021."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta smiled, opening the door behind him and leaving Mark alone in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Technically, Singin' in the Rain is set in 1952, so we're ten years too early," Mark remarked. "Oh my god, Singin' in the Rain hasn't been out yet."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark started rambling about the things that still hadn't been done yet as he followed Yuta out of the room. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Yuta led them out of the dormitory to the busy streets of 1942. Mark, who was still in disbelief, looked around the whole place in awe. He couldn't believe it was all actually real. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was nighttime already. The streets were illuminated by tons of lantern hanging from shops. Vendors littered the streets and a lot of people walked around him. Mark might’ve looked so out of place, because he had his mouth hanging open as he took in everything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was actually in 1942. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They passed a fruit stand when Yuta stopped in his tracks. Mark, who had been looking at the display of fruits, bumped into him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What happened?" Mark asked, confused. Yuta shushed him and walked towards a small tavern. Mark put the fruit he had been perusing (and planning to buy, though he realized he didn't have money used in 1942; it was all with Yuta) back and followed Yuta towards the tavern. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can you get me a heads-up when you're running away like that?" Mark said, rather loudly. A few heads turned towards them, looking at them curiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark," Yuta said, staring at him. He put a safe distance between them which, to Mark, was odd. "1942," he added, heading towards a table. It was a rather large table and Mark would've complained they should move to a smaller table, but there were barely people inside anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are we here?" Mark asked. Yuta shushed him again. Mark rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know if we want to go back to 2021, you've got to talk to me," Mark complained. Yuta ignored him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark looked at where Yuta was looking at. He was staring at two ladies. Mark's eyes widened as he noticed one of them. It was Noriko Sato. She was wearing the necklace.k. Mark was about to comment, but a thump of a glass battle surprised both him and Yuta. They looked up, seeing four young men towering over them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Didn't anyone teach you it was wrong to stare?" one of them said. Another one, the smallest between the four, sat beside Mark. The tallest sat beside Yuta and the other two sat at the head of the table and the other end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man sitting at the head of the table smiled at Yuta. "I wouldn't usually tell you off from gawking at beautiful women, but those women are ours," he said, pointing at the man sitting across him. "Now, if you do want to meet women, Johnny will be available to help you," the man added, pointing at the person beside Yuta. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please, Doyoung, stop intimidating them. I'm sure they're unamused," the man beside Mark said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's quite funny, Taeyong," Doyoung remarked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He started inspecting Yuta and Mark, looking at their clothes from their shirts to their shoes. Mark tried to keep his shoes hidden. He was still wearing his Chuck Taylor; they didn't have shoes to change into. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Interesting," Doyoung muttered. "Where are you both from?" he asked after a while. "You're wearing school uniforms, so you're probably from the school, but I haven't seen you before."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're new," Yuta stated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Clearly," Doyoung said. He leaned towards Yuta, eyeing him cautiously. "Why were you staring at those girls?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta exhaled. "One of them reminded me of my grandmother, when she was younger."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark's jaw dropped in surprise. He stared at Yuta, wide-eyed finally realizing why Yuta was so insistent in going to this tavern. The woman wasn’t someone who reminded Yuta of his grandmother, but she was actually his grandmother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay?" Doyoung remarked. He turned to Mark, an eyebrow raised. "And you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark laughed, "I don't swing--" but before he could finish, Yuta kicked him under the table, shaking his head subtly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean, they're not my type," Mark corrected. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny looked at Mark, confused. "What is a type?" he asked. Before Mark could answer, though, bells started ringing outside. They all groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I haven't even had a drink," the man at the end of the table groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jaehyun, there's more of that in the dorms," Doyoung said, winking. All of them stood up. The other customers started filing out as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Realizing Yuta and Mark weren't following, Doyoung turned on his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, aren't you two coming?" he asked. "It's curfew."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"So, who exactly are you two?" Taeyong asked as he sat on his bed. Mark and Yuta awkwardly sat at desk chairs inside Johnny and Taeyong’s room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they came back from the dorms, Yuta realized they all lived on the same floor, which was either really convenient or not. He'd have to be careful of the things he’d say; the walls weren't exactly built to keep off listeners from the outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm Nakamoto Yuta," Yuta introduced. There was an awkward shift around the room at the mention of his name. He was Japanese, in a country where they were feared because they had the power. Yuta sighed, hoping it wouldn’t make it harder for him to survive this time period. Who knows how long they were going to stay here anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm Mark," Mark said, not realizing the tension in the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What an odd name." Taeyong said. "Is it short for something?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark shook his head, "No, just Mark."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong nodded, slowly. He shifted on the bed, lying down and facing the ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark, looking around, suddenly realized something. "Why are there no other students around?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong laughed. "It's the summer," he said. "Frankly, we were surprised you both are here. Two months too early."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are you four here then?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We never left," Taeyong remarked. "We don't leave in the summer."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong didn't answer immediately looking like he was deliberating something — as if the answer to the question was a secret he couldn’t say. Mark notice him shrug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I don't really have parents to go to," Taeyong started. "Johnny's parents are in America. Jaehyun's family is nearby, but he never likes to go home, and Doyoung's family life is just complicated. Especially since he involved himself with a Japanese woman."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong whispered the last part. Mark didn't hear it but Yuta did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You mean Myoui Mina?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know who she is?" Taeyong asked, eyeing Yuta curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've read her name in the paper," Yuta answered. It wasn't a lie. He did, in fact, read her name in the paper. A little side remark on a small passage about the Prime Minister's daughter. He silently cursed himself, though — telling himself to think before he spoke. The mention of his grandmother made him curious. They were transported to a time and place that was too close for comfort for Yuta, and he wondered if it all meant something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grandmother loved talking about Noriko Sato. She sometimes talked about other friends, but she never mentioned names, nor did she mention ever being involved with a Korean man. As a child, Yuta had been told about the perfect love story between his grandparents. His father was proud of it and always said that they only ever loved each other — no one else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta had always envied their love story and strived to find something like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But now, he realized those stories weren't true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of feeling betrayed or angry, though, what he felt was  curiosity. He wondered why his grandmother never mentioned anything about Kim Doyoung.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Distracted by her inner thoughts, Yuta didn't realize Taeyong had been asking him questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You seem deep in thought?" Taeyong responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta shrugged. "I was thinking of my grandmother."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You often think of her, don't you!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta smiled. "She's all the family I have left."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong smiled sadly, but whatever it was about what he said made Taeyong soften towards him. He no longer felt the resistance or the hesitation to tell him anything. Suddenly, Yuta realized that Taeyong was trying to become a friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And maybe friends is what he needed in this time. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>They got back to their room a few minutes after midnight. Johnny had returned drunk. He kept muttering something about Jaehyun and Doyoung that made Taeyong shoo them away from the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still wide awake, the two young men continued to talk in their room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you think what we have to do involves the four of them?" Mark asked. "I mean there must be a reason we met."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe," Yuta answered. He tried remembering all the stories his grandmother had told him, trying to piece together which of her stories would possibly involve the four men they just met. If his grandmother was involved with Kim Doyoung, then she was probably close to the other three.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung also mentioned that Noriko Sato and Myoui Mina were his and Jaehyun's women, which means Jaehyun had something with Noriko Sato.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's odd, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yuta thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't think the Prime Minister would ever allow her daughter to date a Korean man. Even if that wasn't true, there were no mentions of Jaehyun being connected to the Prime Minister's daughter. Unless, of course, it was one-sided or a secret.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What if we were supposed to find out the true thief of the necklace?" Mark said. His words slurred; he was falling asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" Yuta asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In the description of the necklace — it says the culprit had never been found."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark shifted in his bed, his eyes already closed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you talking about?" Yuta asked. He knew the history of the necklace. It was written in the papers and the books he read when he was younger — the papers written by his grandfather Reading those was the reason he wanted to be an anthropologist in the first place. Those stories were his childhood stories. He knew every bit of it at the back of his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The necklace was stolen and found in the room of one of the military students. It was written that there were four students who planned to steal the necklace. Eventually, those four were convicted of theft, and hanged for their crimes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark laughed quietly, snapping Yuta from his thoughts. "And you kept nagging me for not reading the description. It said that four innocent men were convicted of the crime, but it was proven that they didn't do it. Still, they died and no one found out who the true culprit is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark then dozed to sleep, but Yuta felt even more awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The descriptions of the artifacts were all written by his grandmother. The caretaker of the museum when Yuta was younger was the one who placed them all over the displays. It was always the caretakers that replaced them whenever the inks faded or the paper was worn. Yuta was never allowed to touch anything concerning the display. His grandmother teased that he had clumsy hands; he'll just break things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But now he realized why. His grandmother didn't want him to know the truth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was that why they were here? For him to learn the truth?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The four innocent men? Were they the four people they just met?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was Yuta supposed to prove their innocence before they died? Was Yuta supposed to change history?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>God, this was too complicated, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yuta thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remained awake until the morning. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Myoui Mina was always known to be the best girl whenever she is talked about by her friends and family. She was not only the kindest but also was the most beautiful. Though, of course, most people would say Noriko Sato was the prettiest, but for Noriko it was a miracle to be able to have a friend like Mina. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina was an artist. She spent her time painting. Though she knew the possibility of those getting seen by people was little, painting was still her favorite pastime. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you think they'll drop by today?" Noriko asked as she sat on a chair while Mina painted her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who?" Mina asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jaehyun," Noriko answered, a smile painting her face. "And his friends," she added as she saw Mina smile. Noriko, for as long as Mina could remember, had a lot of admiration for Jung Jaehyun. She never told him, or anyone for that matter, but it was completely obvious if you observed it carefully. Jaehyun never showed any interest, but he was kind enough to her to keep her hoping that something was possible. Mina always told her that it wouldn't matter; it's not like her father would allow it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They might," Mina said. She finished her painting quickly, seeing as Noriko was already moving around a lot, impatient. "But it's the summer, Noriko. I don't think they'd go to the university," Mina muttered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where else would they go?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Probably out drinking." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In the morning?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, that's completely unhealthy," Noriko said. Mina gestured that the painting was done, and with a sigh of relief, Noriko stood up from her chair. She rushed to look at the painting, fawning at the beauty of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You really know how to make me more beautiful," she said, hugging Mina. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You do a good job at that yourself." Mina gestured. She dipped her paintbrush on water and started wiping her hands on her apron. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grabbed a few packages from the floor, glancing at the time and realizing she had to go and deliver those packages to her parents' friends. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to go," Mina said, showing the packages. Noriko pouted, but nodded. "I still have to meet my father for lunch anyway. Will I see you tonight?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll be there," Mina remarked. "You know I never miss the Friday night concerts." </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Since Mark was preoccupied that morning (Johnny and Jaehyun had offered to teach him cards), Yuta decided to roam around with Doyoung and Taeyong. They brought him to the university. As the two men talked with some professors, Yuta decided to walk around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was just passing by the quad when he accidentally bumped into a young lady, making her drop all her things. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry," Yuta said. "I wasn't looking where I was going." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young girl waved him off. "That's alright." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of the voice made Yuta look up. It was his grandmother. Distracted, he stopped helping her pick up her things. Instead, he stared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few seconds later, Mina looked up. She smiled innocently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is something wrong?" she asked, wondering why he had been staring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta shook his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Doyoung did mention you were really beautiful," Yuta started. He wasn't lying. The whole morning, the only thing Doyoung could talk about was Mina. It felt awkward for Yuta, but it was also satisfying to hear more about his grandmother from people who actually knew who she was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina smiled. "Did he?" she asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He talks about you all the time," Yuta said, offering to carry her stuff. Mina muttered her thanks and started walking with Yuta following behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hope he says only good things," Mina said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta smiled. "I don't think it's possible to say a bad thing about you." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's too kind of you," Mina said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta noticed that she had a skip in her step, and a permanent smile on her face. It somehow reminded him of her mother. His heart ached. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had never met his mother or his father.  At least he wasn't old enough to remember them. The memories he had of them were only from the stories his grandparents said. It was enough; at least he had memories to remember them off, even if they weren’t his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, looking at his grandmother right now, young and radiant, he wondered how his parents were like growing up. He wondered how he would've grown up if his parents were the ones that raised him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina stopped in her tracks and looked at Yuta with a frown on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" Yuta asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You look sad. Is something the matter?" Mina asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just remembered my parents, that's all," Yuta said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're far away from home?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sort of." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then why don't you go home?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know how," Yuta muttered. Mina looked at him curiously. She looked to thinking of something to say, but before she could say anything else, an older man, slightly older than Mina, who looked exactly like Yuta's father (at least in the pictures) walked up towards them. He smiled at Mina but eyed Yuta curiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I didn't think you were still in the university. I had thought you left," the man said. His voice echoed in Yuta's head. This was his grandfather — Mina's older brother, Daichi. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just finished painting. I was going to start delivering these," she said, showing the packages. In Yuta's hands. Daichi nodded and took the packages from him, which Yuta earnestly gave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta had always known his grandmother's brother to be a strict guy. His grandfather — the man who had eventually married Mina — had differing views from Myoui Daichi, and it caused a lot of tension between them. He rarely visited, but when he did, Yuta remembered it vividly. They weren't the best memories; his teachings also weren't the best things to learn, but from him, Yuta learned discipline and patience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I never caught your name," Mina said. Her brother had already started walking away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's Yuta," he answered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Yuta. I hope we'll see more of each other."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had already walked away and was a good distance away before Yuta muttered, "you'll see me a lot."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Yuta found Doyoung on the third floor terrace later that night, drinking a glass of wine. Not knowing when else he could get Doyoung alone, Yuta approached him. Besides, there were questions he needed answers to. Though, Yuta knew he'd probably not be able to ask them to Doyoung at that moment, but at least he could get to know the person that his grandmother apparently had something with and never told them about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is the view nice?" Yuta asked. Doyoung grimaced. As Yuta approached, he saw the view was only streets littered with Japanese guards who were calling out people that were still out despite curfew. Some people were lucky enough to get a pass, the rest... not so much. It really wasn't that great of a view that Yuta thought it would be. He turned to look at Doyoung and noticed that he wasn't looking at the streets. Instead, he was looking at the stars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Isn't it odd," Doyoung started, "how we wish to the stars about almost everything, and yet, to the stars, we're nothing but a tiny speck in the vast universe?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung took a sip of his drink, smiling. "You probably think I'm crazy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think your thoughts are completely valid," Yuta answered. "</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Do you wish on the stars often?" Yuta asked when Doyoung didn't say anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung shrugged, directing his eyes on the drink on his hands, seemingly no longer fascinated by the stars.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you think me less of a man if I told you that I do?" Doyoung asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not at all," Yuta assured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It helps," Doyoung explained. "Whenever I need to say something and I know I can't say it to the world, I tell it to the stars, hoping they can keep my secret."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like talking to yourself in an empty room. It doesn't matter if someone heard you; what's important is that you got to say it out loud," Yuta compared, remembering the days he had shouted his secrets in an empty room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung nodded. "So that the moment you have to tell it to someone, it gets less scary."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta bowed his head, looking at his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you scared of?" Yuta asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung laughed. "That's a question I would answer once we're closer," he said, shaking his glass, spilling wine on their feet. Doyoung jumped, laughing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry about that," he said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s tipsy,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yuta thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I wonder how many glasses he drank already.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's talk about other things," Doyoung started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you want to go to the army?" Yuta asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did anyone want to go to the army?" Doyoung asked. "When I was younger, I always wanted to be a journalist. That's what my mother did," he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta grimaced, finding it funny that the man his grandmother was with before his grandfather wanted to be a journalist; his grandfather was a journalist too. He didn’t say anything though and instead, he just  listened. Doyoung didn't seem to mind talking about his family, even though his tone suggested that it wasn't something he often talked about. He tripped on his words, often laughing in between — like he was presenting something he hadn’t read about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When the war started, the only dream I had was to win the war for my country, or at least stall it enough so that people won't have to suffer too much. I hated it," he continued. "The only good thing about this was having Jae with me. We had been friends since we were children; this was just another thing we shared."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung turned, and leaned back on the ledge. He then started looking inside the dorm and into the lit hallway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When I met Mina, I finally found someone to fight for. Not that it mattered. It's not like it’s her side I'm fighting for."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>During the whole time he spoke, Doyoung had his eyes fixed on the hallway. Yuta didn't turn around to see what he was looking at. When he noticed Doyoung stop speaking though, Yuta turned to see what got his companion so distracted. In the hallway stood Jung Jaehyun looking at both of them with a furrowed brow. He looked mad, or confused, or a mixture of both. Still, Yuta thought he shouldn't ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark was standing behind Jaehyun, staring at Yuta, his eyes widened, looking scared. Yuta tried to eye him, questioning what was going on, but Mark had his eyes only at the back of Jaehyun’s head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jaehyun is hiding something from me," Doyoung suddenly said. "I've been waiting for him to admit it, but he hasn't said anything else. I feel like he never will."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung downed his glass of wine and started walking back inside. Yuta noticed Jaehyun had left. Once the chill caught up to him, he walked over to Mark who was looking up the stairs — probably where Jaehyun ascended to. Yuta looked at the other side of the stairs where Doyoung had gone to, opposite to Jaehyun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I messed up," Mark muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did you do this time?" </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mark saw Jaehyun leave the dining room a few minutes after dinner. He was going to follow, but Johnny invited him to another round of bridge. After one round, Johnny and Taeyong started talking in whispers. Mark realized that was his time to leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw Jaehyun standing at the top of the stairs on the third floor, looking at something towards where the terrace was. It looked like he had been there a while. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jae," Mark muttered, cautiously. He walked up to the remaining steps towards the landing and saw what he saw. On the terrace was Yuta and Doyoung talking. Mark cocked his brow up, wondering why Jaehyun was standing paralyzed at the steps looking at two men talking. He was about to laugh until he realized what it all meant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jae, I'm sure there's nothing going on there," Mark said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun smirked. "Why would I be worried about that?" he asked. There was malice lacing his voice, and Mark realized that he said the wrong thing. "I just meant --" Mark stuttered, but Jaehyun shook his head, glaring at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't get me wrong, Mark, I like you," he started. "You're a great guy, and you've been just a nice friend these past days, but you ever accuse me of being </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>again,” he said, staring at Mark threateningly, “you're not going to like it." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark stepped back, finding himself at the edge of the stairway. Jaehyun hadn't moved. Mark noticed that Doyoung was now looking at them, but he was still saying something to Yuta. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The latter hadn't noticed them yet. When Yuta turned though, Jaehyun looked away, walking towards the stairway heading to the fourth floor. Doyoung walked towards them, Yuta following after. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I messed up," Mark muttered, dropping his head in his hands.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The next morning, as Mark and Yuta came out of their rooms, Jaehyun was waiting outside. Yuta was the first one out, but Jaehyun didn't bother to acknowledge him. When Mark came out, Jaehyun stood at the door, stopping Mark from going further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I talk to you?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark nodded, eyeing Yuta behind Jaehyun's back. Yuta cocked a brow up curiously but didn't say anything. "I'll save you some food," Yuta said before walking away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark went back to the room and Jaehyun followed, closing the door behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun sat down on Mark's bed, making Mark sit opposite him on Yuta's. He started looking around, seemingly in awe of the bare walls. Mark had only been in Taeyong and Johnny's room; Taeyong said Jaehyun and Doyoung don't really allow people inside their rooms. Mark understood — a room is a personal thing. He wouldn't allow strangers to just walk into his room too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your room is..." Jaehyun muttered, "clean," he concluded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We just moved in," Mark said. Jaehyun nodded, wiping his palms on his pants. He seemed nervous. Mark didn't really know how to start the conversation since he wasn't the one that wanted to talk anyway. So, he stayed silent. The silence made it awkward though, and Mark hated awkwardness more than anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just want to say sorry for last night," Jaehyun started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's fine. I was the one who overstepped," Mark answered. Jaehyun nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's just..." Jaehyun started, clenching his fist. "My father had always told me off because of </span>
  <em>
    <span>it</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Jaehyun said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It makes me uncomfortable when people mistake me as something I'm not," Jaehyun answered. Mark felt his heart grow heavy. He had been in that situation before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark was 17. He was in his room, his head swirling with things he memorized the night before to say to his parents. Still, there was that voice at the back of his head — the voice of his father — that created a wall of reluctance and shame in his head. Admitting the truth hadn't been easy, but once he accepted that it was the truth he acknowledged then everything else fell into place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun hadn't accepted the truth about himself yet and Mark understood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am sorry, too, for assuming," Mark said. "Still, I hold no judgement," he added. He was ready to be shouted at again, but Jaehyun just sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm glad we had that out of the way," Jaehyun stood up and proceeded towards the door slowly. His steps were heavy as if he was still holding the world on his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he still was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's get something to eat. I'm hungry," Jaehyun said before walking out of the door. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"That's a library," Taeyong said, pointing to an old structure at the end of the road. Yuta had offered to help Taeyong in the local clinic. He knew first aid; it was the least he could do. Also, if getting out of this time meant having to get to know them better, then that's what Yuta would do. Getting close to them also meant getting invited to Noriko Sato's birthday party in two weeks — the party where the necklace was stolen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I haven't actually entered it," Taeyong rambled, still looking at the library they had already passed. "Lots of people said that they monitor every movement inside. You can't be caught reading content the Japanese don't allow. Personally, I think those are the only ones worth reading," Taeyong muttered. He skipped towards the small clinic, making Yuta run after him.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Yuta didn't even realize that time passed as much as it did. He had barely gotten Taeyong alone as they helped the elderly with their sickness. Taeyong was careful not to let Yuta touch anyone who might’ve infected him with anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's important you don't get sick," Taeyong told him earlier. Yuta had told him that he shouldn't get sick either, but Taeyong shrugged it off. "No one will miss me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, a few minutes after lunch, they got a break. Taeyong took him to a small garden out back where some elderly were resting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is my favorite place here," he said, sitting down at one of the stone benches. "It doesn't remind me of the place outside those doors."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong swallowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My parents were killed in a raid," Taeyong admitted. He wasn't looking at Yuta. Instead, he was looking at the flowers in front of him. The way he looked at him somehow made Yuta realize that those flowers meant something to Taeyong. "People who didn't like them told the Japanese guards they were part of the revolt group."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta looked down at his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt guilty, somewhat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was more than just his history — it was the whole world's.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had never lived during the war. The closest things he had of feeling it were stories, memories and recollections of those he did. Living here now made Yuta realize that he would never really feel the extent of war until he went through it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta was tempted to talk about his parents too but realized that his loss wasn't the same as what Taeyong lost. Yuta didn't lose his parents to a war.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My only family left is my older sister, but she's taking care of her own family now too," Taeyong admitted. "I became a military doctor thinking that I wouldn't have to fight in the field. At least then I wasn't endangered to leave my sister."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he was about to say something, to possibly console Taeyong, someone passed beside them making him stop. Yuta stood up and started following after the person. He wasn’t dressed as a doctor or a nurse meaning he wasn’t part of the clinic. Yuta followed him wondering why he was there.  Taeyong was walking beside him asking him what was going on, but Yuta ignored him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His feet seemed to have a mind of their own, and he felt like he was floating endlessly, with his feet leading him to a destination he didn't know why he was going to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yuta.” A hand clasped his wrist. Apparently going back to reality, he realized that he was standing in front of two doors with Japanese guards blocking his way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not allowed to go in there," Taeyong said, dragging him away. "Who were you even following?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta didn't answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were some things he did not understand ever since he came here, but there are things that were clear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just saw his grandfather. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Since Yuta left with Taeyong, and Jaehyun went out with Doyoung (Mark noticed that they were always together), he was left with Johnny, unfortunately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't that he didn't like Johnny, but he reminded Mark of all the fraternity men in school he wanted to forget. Mark wasn't always the friendliest and the most sociable person. Getting along with the people like Johnny was hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were hanging around the dining room, not eating. Instead, Johnny decided to drink in the early afternoon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know you'd die early if you drink too much," Mark remarked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny shrugged, putting his glass on the table. "I'd take my chances," he said, with a small smirk. "Besides, I took a bet with Taeyong on which will kill me first, the war or alcohol."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if teasing Mark, Johnny downed his glass and poured himself another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you not do anything other than drink, or gamble?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What else are you supposed to do in the summer?" Johnny said. "Gamble your money, win, buy alcohol, and repeat."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark stopped and stared at his companion. He realized Johnny's tone shifted. From teasing, it became frustrated. Mark noticed Johnny's brow furrow, as if he was remembering an unpleasing memory. It quickly melted, and the same, gloating Johnny was back, making Mark question whether he had seen anything different at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung and Jaehyun passed by them a few minutes later, back from wherever they went, not even bothering to say hello to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They're always together," Mark mentioned, staring at the entrance. Johnny grimaced. "Of course they are. They grew up together," Johnny said, sarcastically. "They only have each other. To be honest, it's quite romantic."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark whipped his head to turn back to Johnny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You knew?" he asked. Johnny shrugged. "It's quite obvious."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are they both --"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny took another sip of his drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jaehyun is. I don't think Doyoung is though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Birds of the same feather?" he answered, smiling. Mark stared at him, surprised. "That's another reason for me to get killed," Johnny said with a manic laugh. Mark didn't know if it was because he was drunk or if this was just how Johnny was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How great is it? To be a gay, drunk, stupid soldier in the war. I have so much crime against this government."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny downed another glass but didn't refill his empty glass anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe that's why my family sent me away." He stood up and walked towards the entrance of the dining room. He walked slowly, tripping on his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he walked out of the room, Johnny turned to look at Mark one more time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Be careful with what you say or do, Mark," he started. "You're too pretty to die young." </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Yuta found Mark inside the room sleeping, when he got back from the clinic. He was exhausted, but the task he had just done was fulfilling.  As he fixed his things, he looked at the Mark sleeping. He felt jealous at how Mark looked so serene — like nothing was bothering him. Yuta felt conflicted… and guilty. Everything that had happened the past few days pointed to him and his family. Whatever they had to do involved him, but he still didn’t know what they needed to do to get back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was somewhat afraid that they would never be able to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey," Mark said, stirring on the bed. Yuta didn’t even realize that Mark was already awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey," Yuta answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though the past few days were easy, Mark still looked tired. He wondered how he looked to Mark Lee, or to everyone around them. Getting to know the four men they met the past few days was like trudging through hell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were all carrying weights on their shoulder whilst trying to defeat the demons inside them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And for some reason, they decided to share their demons to Mark and Yuta. It was all just tiring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've talked to Johnny," Mark said. He was still half-asleep, and Yuta watched him, feeling a smile, creep up his face. It was endearing — looking at Mark Lee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What did you find out?" Yuta asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Too much," Mark admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Taeyong talked about his parents' death," Yuta said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark started standing up on his bed, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. Feeling the cold in the room, he wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's must have been tough."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It made me remember my parents."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you like to talk about them?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta shook his head. Even if he wanted to, he didn't know much about his parents to talk about them. Mark sighed, pulling the blanket tighter around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm afraid, Mark," Yuta admitted. Mark didn’t answer, instead, he stood up and walked towards Yuta. He was scared too, and really, he didn’t know how to make this any easier for them. He sat down beside Yuta, ready to listen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you scared of?" Mark asked, in a low voice — quite like a whisper. Yuta faced him, angling his body towards Mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm afraid that what I have to do for us to get out of here is to make a choice," Yuta started. "I don't think it'll be easy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark leaned in closer, and touched Yuta's shoulder softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was brought here too," Mark said. "When I touched the necklace alone, nothing happened but when we touched it together we got transported here. It means we do this together."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark, feeling brave, took Yuta's hands in his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If you're going to make a choice then I will help you. We're in this together, Yuta."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta stared at him, looking at the sincerity in his eyes that he portrayed in his words.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Mark Lee was something else.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Yuta thought. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Noriko Sato's birthday came two weeks later. She had invited the whole city to celebrate her special day with her. Though, if she was being honest, she invited everyone so that she could see Jung Jaehyun. Inviting everyone just meant her father wouldn't be able to keep Jaehyun and his friends away from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do I look nice?" Noriko said, as she twirled in front of the mirror. Mina smiled at her, nodding. "You look absolutely amazing," she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noriko sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not saying that just because I'm your friend right?" she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No!" Mina exclaimed. "You do look very nice."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noriko smiled and sat beside her friend around a small table inside her room. She touched the necklace around her neck, — the necklace with the dragon emblem — given to her by her father a year ago for her birthday. The necklace was her mother's. Noriko never met her mother. She died a few days after she was born from complications in pregnancy. The necklace was the only thing Noriko had of her mother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When it was given to her a year ago, it came with a note. Noriko still remembered what was written having read it a million times.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>My dearest Noriko,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Though I am not there to celebrate your birthday, I give you this necklace to always remind you that I am with you. May you look at this necklace and remember that to change the world, you should always be kind.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Always see the positive in the world and in people, but don't forget to be cautious. You will experience things in your life that will cause you to question your beliefs. Remember, though, that you will never be alone in making these choices. Surround yourself with people that you will truly trust, and only then will life get easier for you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>All my love.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you think I should wear this necklace?" Noriko said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's your birthday necklace. Why wouldn't you wear it?" Mina asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't want it to get lost, especially with too many people here," Noriko replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You've worn it before with people around. I think it matches your clothes well," Mina answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noriko nodded and smiled, "I'd wear it then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina smiled, "Now, let's finish getting ready. Everyone will be here soon."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Fortunately for the guests of the party, there wasn’t a curfew. It was nearing 10pm already when they all finished eating. The food just kept coming until everyone was too full. Some guest had already left but those who still stayed kept a chatter going between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung eyed the main table carefully. Jaehyun stared at the drink in his hands. Johnny eyed Mark with a knowing smile. Yuta stared at Taeyong with a questioning look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is going on?" he asked Taeyong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Doyoung is just going to ask Jaehyun to join him so that he could walk Mina around," Taeyong whispered. "Jaehyun hates it," he added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon enough, Doyoung was saying something in a low voice to Jaehyun making the latter sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just go and talk to her," Jaehyun said, gritting his teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung sighed, "Mina's father would never allow it if I'm not with you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He'd not allow it if you bring along another man," Jaehyun chided.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But if Noriko came with us, then they'd allow it. Besides, Noriko loves you," Doyoung said. At this moment, they weren't even whispering anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm glad you and Mark are here. We usually share tables with other guests at these other parties, and then they start arguing out loud like this," Johnny whispered to Mark. ”It gets very awkward.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This often happens?" Mark asked. Johnny just shrugged. Doyoung then looked at Yuta.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you join me then?" he asked. Yuta looked around the table wondering if he was really being asked to escort Mina and Doyoung around. Though he did want to learn more about their relationship, this felt so much more intimate than Yuta had thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine," Jaehyun said, downing his drink, "I'd join you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny slipped on his glass of water knowingly. Doyoung still insisted on having Yuta join them. With a sigh, the three of them approached the main table. Johnny turned back to Mark saying, “I don’t think Jae likes your friend very much.” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Yuta walked in a short distance behind the two couples. They proceeded towards the outside of the building. — towards the gardens. It was rather cold, but it seemed only Yuta was feeling it. He regretted not dragging one of the other guys along owing to the fact that neither of the four he was with actually bothered to include him in the conversion. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe this is how it feels like to be a chaperone, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he walked behind the two couples though, Yuta started noticing the differences between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung and Mina had a close relationship. Though they had a safe distance between them, the backs of their hands kept touching and there was a clear comfort between them. They liked being together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun and Noriko were much forced. A palpable tension lay between them. Though Noriko kept wanting to get through the tension, Jaehyun kept building the tension up. A one-sided relationship, just like Yuta had suspected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, it felt awkward, so Yuta stepped further away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I must go to the washroom," Noriko said a few minutes later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We'll wait for you here," Mina said. Noriko smiled then nodded, walking back inside the building. Doyoung and Mina sat at one of the benches. Yuta sat on another, a few meters behind them. Jaehyun sat beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know why they even try," Jaehyun said looking at the backs of Mina and Doyoung. "They're not even going to be together long. Not with the restrictions of each of their families."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why should we think of love as a wall?" Yuta answered. "It's a bridge if we let it be."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun snickered. "It's not that easy to just cross it, especially if the other side is not willing to meet you halfway."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta stared at Jaehyun, not seeing the man he had known the past weeks. This wasn't the Jung Jaehyun who always kept his walls up. For the first time, Yuta saw him over the wall. He was hurting, and somehow, Yuta didn’t think Jaehyun knew why. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did any of you see my necklace?" Noriko said, walking back to the garden. Everyone stood up meeting her. Jaehyun walked closer towards her — for comfort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We've been here the entire time. Where did you leave it?" Mina asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I removed it and placed it near the sink because it was getting quite heavy. When I got out of the washroom, it wasn’t there anymore.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina looked at Doyoung, a worried look in her eyes. Doyoung cleared his throat and said, "We should inform the guards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta stood on his spot, frozen. He knew what was going to happen after this party, and despite the information, he wasn’t ready. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"I'm going to the washroom," Mark said a couple of minutes after Jaehyun, Doyoung and Yuta left. Neither Taeyong and Johnny acknowledged him; they were busy talking about a story they had heard in the papers. Mark sighed, walking inside the building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were no people inside. Almost everyone was either outside at the back of the house or had already left. Mark didn't realize he didn't actually know where the washrooms were. As he was walking, he saw an older man that looked exactly like Mina. He assumed it was Mina's older brother. Yuta had talked about him once, and Mark remembered seeing a picture of Mina and his brother in the museum before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark followed him, assuming he was also headed to the washrooms. Why would someone be inside anyway if not for that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina's brother walked inside a lit room, and Mark followed after him. Fortunately for him, it was the washrooms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was about to approach one stall when someone screamed behind him. Mark looked around to see Noriko Sato on the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, it's you, Mark Lee," she said, putting a hand on her chest. Mark noticed the necklace.  "This is the women's washroom."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What? But I-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You must've been lost," Noriko interrupted. "The men's washroom is across the hallway."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noriko led him outside and pointed towards the men's washroom. Embarrassed, Mark went towards the other side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he was walking out of the washroom, finished with his business, Mark saw Noriko leave the women's washroom a few minutes later looking frantic. He was about to go back to the dining area when he saw Mina's brother come out of the women’s washroom as well, putting something inside his pocket. He stood frozen in the washroom wondering what everything he saw just meant. Mark didn't want to think badly of Noriko; he didn't think she was that kind of woman anyway. Before he could leave the washroom, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Mina and Noriko passed by him. He walked out to call after them when Yuta barreled into him from behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What happened?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Someone stole Noriko's necklace."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Mark felt something collapse inside him. Everything he just saw suddenly made sense. He knew who took the necklace. Now the question was if he’d actually reveal that to Yuta. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The announcement of the stolen necklace not only put a certain chill in the air, but it also welcomed guards to the party. With the guards storming in, everybody's first thought was to storm out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The birthday party that had been so peaceful now turned into a riot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone started running towards the exits, not caring whoever they bumped into the way. It didn't help that the guards were starting to use violence to calm the crowd. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It just made everyone more inclined to get out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark felt Yuta grab his wrist tugging him to the exit. Doyoung immediately went to Mina to see if she was safe while Jaehyun went after them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong was frozen in spot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tae, we can't stay here," Johnny said, trying to drag Taeyong away but Taeyong was firmly stuck in place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Taeyong, I know you're scared," Johnny started. "But we're only going to be safe if we get out of here." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong moved slowly, like he was just learning how to walk again. His steps were wobbly and Johnny had to keep his hands around Taeyong’s shoulders to keep him from falling. Johnny nodded at Yuta and Mark, and the four of them ran to the exits. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mark never liked crowds of people. He especially didn't like throngs of people coming at you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he was a child, his mother brought him to a small gathering in the mall. It was Christmas, and a few celebrities were performing Christmas songs to celebrate. It was fun at first, until Mark lost his mother. He had roamed around looking for her, asking people for directions. But people either ignored him or feigned innocence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother eventually found him at the entrance of a pet store, crying beside one of the guards. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark never liked crowds since. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The riot that came to the party reminded him of that moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt his heart constrict and his legs buckle underneath him. He couldn’t seem to move and the people pushing around him made him more nervous. What’s worst is that he no longer felt Yuta’s hand around his wrist. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Yuta didn't feel like he was moving. It only felt like he was floating, the crowd of people dragging him out. He hadn't looked anywhere but forward; that was a big mistake because now he couldn't find Mark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yuta, come on," Johnny called. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I lost Mark," Yuta answered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny sighed. His brow furrowed as if he was mulling on a decision. Yuta notice him glance at Taeyong once or twice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll go find Mark," Yuta said, making the choice for Johnny. "I'll meet you at the dorms?" Yuta asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny nodded and then walked away. Before he could go far, Johnny called for Yuta again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Be careful," he said. Yuta just nodded. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>When Yuta approached the building again, guards were already blocking the entrance. He tried to enter, but the guards wouldn't allow him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's an investigation going on inside," one of the guards said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My friend might still be in there," Yuta argued. The guard shook his head. "We have hauled all the people except for the Myoui and Sato families. If your friend is neither, then he might already be detained."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from saying something. He nodded, and started walking away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was all his fault. Mark Lee might be detained because he let go. Feeling defeated, he sat at the steps in front of the house, cursing himself inwardly. He felt himself crying. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How could he lose Mark Lee? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yuta?” he heard someone call a few minutes later. He looked up and saw Mina walking towards him. He could see behind her was her family. Yuta couldn’t help grimacing at the thought of actually seeing his family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” Mina asked. Yuta sighed, “I was looking for Mark. I lost him in the chaos inside.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina smiled, “You two must be really close?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta shrugged, “I was told to watch over him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You must take care of him well, then. I’m sure he’d take care of you too,” Mina said. She patted him on the shoulder and added, “I saw him walk out with the newspaper boy a little earlier. I’m sure he’s back in the dorms.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta, grateful, smiled at Mina and bid his goodbyes rushing towards the dorms. When he got back, the sinking feeling in his stomach dissipated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There, in the steps of the dormitory entrance, was Mark Lee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where had you been?" Mark chided. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was looking for you," Yuta said, feeling relieved. "God, I thought I lost you." He was about to jump in and hug Mark but held himself back, especially with the guards watching them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Someone helped me out," Mark said. Just then, a man came out of the dorms. The feeling in Yuta’s stomach came back. He took a deep breath, willing himself to not do anything rash. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here he is," Mark said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You must be Yuta,” the man said. Yuta forced himself to nod. “Mark had insisted not to leave until he knew you were safe. I told him it’s safer to wait here than wander around the city.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta felt his heart constrict. This was the man he had hated growing up. He really didn’t know him long but for the years he had, Yuta didn’t like him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I better go. It’s getting late,” he said waving goodbye, offering a kind smile to both of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even with the smile, Yuta could see right through him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was his grandfather.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The next morning, when they woke up, there was an uncomfortable feeling in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta felt like he was trudging through the mud as he walked towards the dining room. There were guards roaming the halls, holding boxes of things. In the entrance was Kim Doyoung and Jung Jaehyun, hands bound behind their backs, getting dragged away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is happening?" Yuta asked Johnny. He hadn't seen Taeyong yet — probably still sleeping the events of the night away.  Mark stood beside them, a gloomy look painting his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They found Noriko's necklace inside Doyoung and Jaehyun’s room," Johnny explained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But that's not possible," Yuta started. "They both were with me the time the incident happened. They couldn't have stolen the necklace."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny nodded. "That's why they think it's a concerted effort," Johnny said with a sigh. He looked scared as he looked outside the entrance where his friends no longer stood. "They're going to come after us soon."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>three.<br/>
</b>
  </span>
  <span class="u">
    <b>1942</b>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Noriko was restless. She had refused to talk to anyone ever since Doyoung and Jaehyun had been detained. Despite her insistence they hadn't done anything wrong, her father wouldn't let the two men go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I told you, father, they wouldn't have taken it," Noriko said. The Prime Minister sighed, asking, "how would you know that?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because they were with me the whole night."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Which makes them the most probable suspects. They're close to you; they could've gotten the necklace easily."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But I was with them the whole night," Noriko repeated, exaggerating every word to make a point. "I would've seen something."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noriko's father release a heavy exhale. "They found your necklace in his Kim Doyoung's room. I don't know how they managed it, but that already makes them guilty."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Prime Minister stood up, and approached his daughter cautiously. "You know, I never approve of you hanging out with that man, Jung Jaehyun."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He said Jaehyun's name with so much hatred that Noriko stopped her pacing. She stared at her father in shock. Something clicked in her mind — a possibility she refused to consider. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't care, do you?" she said. His father stopped on his tracks. "You don't actually care about finding who really stole the necklace. You want Doyoung and Jaehyun to be guilty."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her father turned and went back to his desk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The faster they're out of our lives, the better," the Prime Minister said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noriko huffed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you plan this? Did you have someone responsible for stealing my necklace and planting it in Doyoung's coat?" Noriko asked, slamming her fist on the table to get her father's attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His father, unamused by his daughter's behavior, glared at Noriko. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will take care of this family in my way," his father started. "If it means having to do outrageous things, then so be it. Soon enough, I'd be able to get their other two friends for indecent behavior."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is that supposed to mean?" Noriko asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Haven't you seen their eyes linger on each other. It's disgusting," the Prime Minister spat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why does that matter?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There are rules and laws of the world that we should obey. Two men falling in love with each other is not a law of the world. It is a crime and a sin. They should be hanged"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noriko felt a tear flow down from her face, but she quickly wiped it away. Her father didn't deserve the tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're a monster," Noriko remarked. "And you just lost all of my respect."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The days after Doyoung and Jaehyun got arrested were gloomy. Despite the shining summer sun, everything was gray. Johnny was inconsolable. His coping mechanism was fill himself with alcohol, the first thing in the morning until the wee hours of the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark was passing by Johnny's room when he heard glass breaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you please stop drinking?" he heard someone shout. Another glass broke, making Mark jumped. He heard Johnny scream, before he heard a crash inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Stop telling me what to do," Johnny's voice said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark knew he should just walk away. This wasn't his fight, and he really didn't want to get in the middle of it. But the more the shouts started getting louder and things kept getting broken, he realized that he needed to interfere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is everything okay in there?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark heard a sigh, and then the doors opened. Johnny was standing before him, his face ashen. He pushed past Mark, going somewhere Mark couldn't tell. Inside the room were broken wine glasses scattered all over the floor. Taeyong was on his bed, his head on his hands. Mark walked towards him but seeing as he didn't seem to want to talk to anyone, Mark started cleaning the room.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Johnny walked towards the back garden, passing by the kitchen to get himself another drink. Yuta, who had been reading a copy of </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Time Machine </span>
  </em>
  <span>he had found in the study, saw Johnny and decided to follow him. When Yuta got to the back garden, Johnny was already taking a big sip of the bottle of wine in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think that's extremely healthy," Yuta started, cautiously walking to his friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't want to tell Johnny off. Despite Johnny acting like he didn't care about the others, the arrest of his two friends clearly threw him off. Yuta got reminded of the fact that these four people decided to spend the summer together instead of their homes just because their home life wasn't better as being together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were all each other have and having to see some of them get ripped out of their life was probably heartbreaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta never had lasting relationships with people to understand what that felt like. He never allowed himself to be attached because being attached meant getting hurt when someone left. Too many people already left him before he could even understand what it feels like to be left alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'd rather die this way," Johnny said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta sighed, and sat down beside Johnny. The latter didn't complain. He continued to look at the flowers growing beneath their feet to mind Yuta.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have a whole life ahead of you," Yuta said. He didn't know if that was helpful, but he could try. He was brought in this time to do something — maybe saving these four people's lives would be that thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What life, Yuta?" Johnny said. His tone was helpless, as if he was already resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to live long. "I'm going to die soon, in the hands of people who only think of their people's future."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't know that," Yuta said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny snickered, "What do you know about the future?"</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A lot, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Yuta thought. Still, the future he knew didn't involve any of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have you ever fallen in love, Yuta?" Johnny asked, not bothering to wait for an answer to his last question. Yuta shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny grimaced, "I have," he started. He sipped on the wine bottle for a while before continuing, "But it's too someone I could never have."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why is that?" Yuta asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because the law said I'm not allowed to love him."</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta sometime forgets that this isn't his time — that the laws he had grown up believing was normal wasn't normal here. He felt his heart ache. If only this was a few years later, then Johnny wouldn't have been thinking that falling in love with a man wasn't a crime.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're a good man, Yuta!" Johnny remarked. "I hope you won't forget about me if you end up living."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Johnny stood up and then walked away. Yuta didn't follow. It didn't feel like he should follow.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mark was almost done cleaning the mess in the room when Taeyong decided to talk to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know I always thought my life would be normal," he said, shocking Mark that the latter almost dropped the broken glass he was holding. "I never thought I'd see the day that two of my closest friends would be arrested or that I'd be experiencing a war."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think anyone thought they'd be in a war," Mark remarked. He dumped the broken glass in a trash bin, before sitting beside Taeyong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I had dreams of growing old, getting married, having children," Taeyong muttered. "Maybe those are all dreams now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can't say that," Mark said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"At least they were good dreams," Taeyong said ignoring Mark's pleas. Mark felt helpless. He wanted to change Taeyong's mindset — tell him that everything will be okay, but something inside Mark told him that maybe it won't be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt like whatever he'll say would be ignored anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if Taeyong was already resigned to the inevitable — that he was going to die today or, at least, soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark," Taeyong started. "Could you do me a favor?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Take care of my sister."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeyong then removed a picture from one of his pockets and showed it to Mark. He wondered if Taeyong's sister would be alive in 2021, and he could take care of her then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll try." Mark said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That seemed enough for Taeyong because he smiled, gratefully.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mark found Yuta inside their room a few minutes later. He had to leave Taeyong when Johnny came in. It seemed like they needed to talk anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's something I need to tell you," Mark said once he entered the room. He had been thinking about it when Taeyong started talking about his adventures with Jaehyun, Doyoung and Johnny the last three years they had been together. When Yuta told him that he was going to have to make a choice, Mark realized that what he was going to reveal was going to make the choice much harder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it?" Yuta asked, looking hopeless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did something happen?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I just talked to Johnny," Yuta said. "I just felt hopeless."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed, second-guessing whether he should say what he knew or not. Yuta didn't need the burden.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Mark realized it might be too late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had to make a choice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I knew who stole the necklace," Mark admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta turned to him, goading.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark swallowed, saying, "It was your grandmother's brother"</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>After Mark recollected the events of the party — how he saw Myou Daichi walking out of the women's washroom, putting something in his pocket — Yuta stayed quiet. Mark was silent beside him not knowing what to say to make the situation easier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He told Yuta that he was going to help him make a choice, but he didn't exactly know where he could help. Somehow he was also feeling helpless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My grandparents met in 1942," Yuta admitted. Mark stared at him, "this year?" he asked. Yuta nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My grandmother never really talked about what happened or how they met," Yuta started. "All I know is that her brother introduced them. My grandmother fell in love with him — at least she thought she did — because he was the only one there when no one else was."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta inhaled deeply. There was a sadness in his eyes. Mark carefully placed his hand on Yuta's back, stroking it for comfort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When I met my grandfather at the clinic the other day, I realized they met because of the events surrounding the stolen necklace," Yuta muttered. "Because her friends died, she settled for the one person who showed her attention."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that a bad thing?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta closed his eyes, exhaling an anguished breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My grandfather is a good man, but he wasn't a good husband, or a father, or a grandfather," Yuta admitted. Tears started flowing down his cheeks — like an open water faucet with a broken switch. “He never grew out of his beliefs, and he definitely never moved on from the war. Because of that, it was difficult for all of us.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, wiping the tears from his face. “Despite what my grandmother says, I still blame him for my parents death.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark shifted on his feet. He was ready to approach Yuta, but the latter stopped him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t remember much from that night when they died, but I remember them arguing with my grandfather. He was the one that drove them away. A few minutes later, we received a call that they got into an accident. My grandfather died a few months after that. I never got answers.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took another deep breath, eyes unfocused, like he was recalling something. Yuta then turned to Mark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do I choose to save the man that would make my grandmother happy but will probably cause me my life, or do I choose to make her unhappy for 70 years?" he asked. Mark wondered if this was what his role was — to guide Yuta to the right choice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yuta," Mark started. "I don’t think we can change history."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then what are we supposed to do here? How do we get back?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know," Mark said, his voice breaking. "I don't know." </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"Have you heard from anyone?" Taeyong asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mina's brother is refusing to let anyone meet her, and as far as I know Noriko is back in Japan," Johnny answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were having breakfast two days later. The sun was shining brightly — too bright. Yuta thought this day was too good for nothing to happen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as he was biting into his chicken, a pair of guards walked into the dining room showing off their guns. Mark shook, seeing the guns. Though they've been in the past for almost a month, seeing guns so casually displayed still made him shiver. It felt like anytime they could be shot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The guards were talking to the owner of the dormitory in front of the doorway towards the dining room. The owner pointed at the four of them. It wasn't a surprise, seeing as they were the only one in the dormitory anyway. But the uncertainty of why they were there made Mark uneasy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is there a Lee Taeyong and Seo Johnny here?" one of the guards said. Johnny and Taeyong eyed each other before rising from their chairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're both arrested for conspiring with Mr. Jung and Mr. Kin against the Sato family," both guards started bounding Johnny and Taeyong's hand behind their back forcefully. Mark stood up to complain but Yuta touched his wrist out of view from the guards to stop him from moving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If they get caught now, getting back to the present would be harder. Besides, the history never mentioned more than four people getting detained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark kept tugging his hand away from Yuta, but Yuta kept a firm grip. Even until both men were gone he still kept hold of Mark's wrist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they heard the front doors close, Mark fell on his knees crying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta heard him mutter about home and Yuta suddenly felt the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just wanted to go home. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mark was inconsolable. Yuta tried everything to make Mark more comfortable but nothing seemed to work. Mark was closest with Taeyong and Johnny; Yuta understood why this was breaking him most. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The days following Johnny and Taeyong’s arrest, Yuta would often find Mark standing in front of the entrance, dressed up as if wanting to do something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It put  them on edge having no one around them and having nothing to do. Somehow, they were waiting for something, as if the guards were going to come for them next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Around a week later, the guards did come, informing the two of them that they were allowed to visit. As they were getting ready to go to the jailhouse, Mina dropped by the dormitories. She met Yuta and Mark at the entrance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta noticed a few meters away stood her older brother. He clenched his fists. This was all his fault. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I heard you were going to visit," Mina said. Yuta nodded. "Can you please bring this to Doyoung? My letters had been unreturned, and I wasn't sure if he was receiving it," Yuta carefully took the letter from Mina. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Give them my best," Mina said before walking away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure that will help," Mark said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't be rude," Yuta chided. Mark sighed, "Why couldn't she help?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta looked sadly at the letter in his hands, "I'm sure she had tried." He looked up and stared at the back of Myoui Daichi's head, feeling very angry at his grandmother's older brother. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had never met Daichi in his lifetime. Daichi died due to his injuries he sustained from war. Mina never talked about him. Somehow, Yuta understood why she didn't.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Doyoung, Jaehyun, Johnny and Taeyong were told that they were going to have visitors. The guards had asked them to look nice, as if that'll hide the treatment they've been getting. Doyoung was sure that no matter how much they're dressed, everyone would still be able to see the bruises forming all over their skin and the cuts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They'd notice the cheekbones protruding — ones which weren't there before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were being tortured so that they admit that they stole the necklace (which they didn’t), as if the sentence of death wasn't already there to put a weight on their shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why do you think they're allowing visitors?" Jaehyun muttered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's probably because we'll be hanged in two days," Doyoung answered with a snicker, disguising the fear he had of dying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few minutes later, the same guards they see everyday unlocked their room and started binding their hands and feet, leading them to the visiting area. They were only allowed one visitor each. He wondered who would be visiting him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he got to the visiting area, Mark Lee was sitting around a small table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was glad it was Mark visiting him. He hadn’t been particularly kind or close to Yuta; he couldn’t imagine what it’ll be like if Yuta was the one that visited him. His prisoner number was written on a paper sitting on top of the table. The guard set Jaehyun down, before walking a few meters away. Jaehyun snickered. The guards would still be able to hear them anyway. What was the use of staying away? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Privacy was a privilege they didn't get in jail. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You should've left when you could," Jaehyun said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where else would we go?" Mark answered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where's Yuta?" Jaehyun asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Talking to Doyoung."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun looked down at his hands, brow furrowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are you here? What is it you want to accomplish?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are you acting like I don't care?" Mark argued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because you don't," Jaehyun answered. "Not for me, anyway."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark snickered, "You might not have been the best person to deal with Jung Jaehyun, but you're still my friend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do something for me then," Jaehyun answered. "Save Doyoung."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" Mark asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go to his family and tell them the situation. They'll get him out of here soon," Jaehyun explained. "Doyoung doesn't want to reach out to them, but they can get him out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about you?" Mark asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun shook his head. He leaned in closer, his voice as low as a whisper. "Do you know how incapacitating the grief of the only one pining is?" he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark looked shocked. Though he had already known for a while, he still couldn't believe Jaehyun would actually admit it. "You were right about me, Mark Lee. I guess I was just mad that you saw through me so quickly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun reached out for Mark's hand but quickly pulled it away when one of the guards behind Mark shifted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Once Doyoung is out, take care of him for me," Jaehyun asked. "And don't tell him what I asked you to do for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How many promises was he supposed to make that he knew he would never fulfill?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Mark nodded, his heart aching. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"Mina asked me to bring this to you," Yuta said sliding the letter. Doyoung just stared at it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She shouldn't have bothered," Doyoung muttered. "I'd be dying soon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't know that," Yuta remarked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung smiled, "We don't have to be reminded of the inevitable. We know it’s coming anyway." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they prepared to leave earlier that day, Yuta prepared his questions and recited in his head everything he wanted to tell Doyoung. But now that he was there, he didn't know what to say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm scared of not being remembered," Doyoung said. "I'm scared of leaving people who depended on me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You asked me when we first met what I was scared of," Doyoung interrupted. "I'm scared of just rotting without having done anything in my life worth talking about for the next years. I don't want to be just a body in the ground," he admitted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Will you keep my memory alive for me, Nakamoto Yuta?" </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>When Mina arrived back home from visiting Yuta and Mark at the dormitory to give them a letter, there was a package on her bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cautious, she ripped the packaging. Inside was Noriko Sato's necklace. A small note was attached to it. With shaking fingers, she reached out for it and read what was written. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina read through the letter once, her tears already falling. Her heart ached as she understood each word. When she finally finished reading the letter, she found her feet buckling underneath her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>My dear friend, Mina</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I am giving you this necklace because it had caused me so much pain. I don't want to burden you with what happened with this necklace, but may this be a reminder of our friendship with the six men we have met. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I love you, my friend, but life is no longer worth living. My father is not the father I had known and the only one I loved in my life is set to die. I know you're enough of a reason to live but you will be taken from me soon too. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm sorry that I wouldn't be able to say goodbye, but may this be my goodbye to you. I don't want to see you lest I change my mind.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>See you in the next life. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Your truly,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Noriko</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Mark couldn’t sleep that night. He kept moving around in his bed, feeling really guilty. He wanted to do something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath, he grabbed a coat from inside the drawer and started walking out. He didn’t even realize that Yuta wasn’t even in his bed. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>When Mark  got to the first floor, he stopped. Yuta was standing in front of the entrance, dripping wet. Mark didn’t notice it was raining. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where had you been?” Mark asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta walked towards him, a sad look in his eyes. “I knew what I had to do,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Yuta recalled what he did. He went to Mina’s place a few minutes before curfew and told her the truth about the necklace. He was just glad Daichi wasn’t home when he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina looked broken, but unsurprised at the revelation. She had soon thanked Yuta and offered to escort him home. With her in tow, he wouldn’t have to go through the guards for violating curfew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yuta?” she started when they got to the dorms, “Thank you, for telling me,” she said. “But why didn’t you go to the police with this information?” she asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t want for you to think the worst of me by putting the blame on your brother,” Yuta explained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you gave me the burden of having to face him myself,” Mina remarked. Yuta looked down at his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina sighed, “I guess it is for the best. Now the decision is in my hands.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finally said goodbye, leaving Yuta on the entrance steps, waiting until the carriage was no longer in view.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Why did you think to tell her?” Mark asked when Yuta was done recalling the events of the past hour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta took a deep breath before explaining, “I remember you telling me about the description of the necklace in the museum. I realized that the only way she would know that they were innocent, was if someone had told her the truth. The only way for history to really be fulfilled is if she knew,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta looked at Mark, realizing he was wearing outdoor clothes. “Were you going somewhere?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was planning to go to the police and reveal what really happened,” Mark said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would’ve been shot, or detained for conspiring against the Myoui family,” Yuta remarked. Mark swallowed. Yuta patted him on the shoulder before starting for the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go to bed, Mark Lee. This is no longer our responsibility.” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Myoui Daichi came home at the wee hours of the morning. Mina was still awake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you still awake?” Daichi asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina swallowed, preparing herself for what she was going to say. “I know what you did,” she said. Daichi stared at her, not understanding. “You stole the necklace and framed my four friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They weren’t your friends,” Daichi chided, anger lacing his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are!” Mina argued. Daichi smiled, menacingly. He shrugged, removing his coat and placing it over the back of a chair. “Well, you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it anymore,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Mina asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a smirk, Daichi said, “They’re already dead.” </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>They were asleep when the hanging happened. The Prime Minister didn't want to give the four boys he had loathed an audience. That wasn't a privilege given to them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta had received a letter from Mina the next day about it. Mark had cried when he heard about it — guilty that he wasn't even able to say goodbye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina had written to them that she wanted to meet them before she went back to Japan. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>They arrived at Mina's place a few minutes after lunch. Her eyes were sad; she had obviously been crying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wanted to say goodbye," Mina said as she met them at the back gardens, serving them tea. "My father is sending me back to Japan."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You didn't have to say goodbye to us," Yuta said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina smiled, “I, at least, wanted to say goodbye to you.”  She took out a jewelry box from underneath the table and placed it before Yuta and Mark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had a dream last night,” she started, “It said that I should give you this necklace so that you would be able to go home,” she opened the box and inside sat Noriko Sato’s necklace. “I didn’t understand, but I thought I should try.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned to Yuta. “You told me you didn’t know how to get home, maybe this would help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood up, giving them both a sad, but fulfilled smile. “I guess this is goodbye then?” she asked. Both Mark and Yuta smiled and nodded back. Once all goodbyes were said, Mina finally retreated back inside the house. "Do you think it'll work?" Mark asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"One way to know for sure." Yuta said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They held each other's hand and then touched the necklace. The next thing they saw was blackness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>four.<br/>
</strong>
  </span>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>2021</strong>
  </span>
  <b><br/>
<br/>
</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta woke up, smelling the familiar cinnamon scent he'd usually smell the first thing in the morning. He opened his eyes, and he realized he was in his room. There was someone humming nearby him and when he turned, he saw his grandmother mixing him tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh," she muttered, "You're finally awake."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glided towards him, a sweet smile covering her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What day is it?" Yuta asked, standing up from the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Saturday, the 24th," her grandmother answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had only been a day since he met Mark in the museum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta looked outside to see the morning light shining through his window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your friends left last night. That Mark Lee fellow seemed to be very guilty about touching the artifacts. I've told him off enough," his grandmother chided. Yuta smiled. "I'm sure he already understood the implications about touching museum artifacts."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta's grandmother smiled, before she continued humming. He took a sip of his tea, mulling the next word he wanted to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go on with it," his grandmother started. "Tell me what you're thinking."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How did you know I was thinking of something?" Yuta asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I raised you," his grandmother remarked. "I know how you are, Nakamoto Yuta."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta sighed, "Would you tell me about Kim Doyoung?"</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>For the whole day Yuta had recounted his adventure in 1942. Though it felt weird admitting everything, his grandmother didn't seem to think him crazy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you think I'm lying?" Yuta asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Unless you found out about what happened years ago from someone then I don't know how you would've known what happened in the past unless you were there yourself," his grandmother admitted. "I'm not saying I believe in time-travel and all that, but there are things in this house that are special."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina started laughing, "I realized I named you after yourself then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I met this young kid in the summer of 1942 who wanted to do the right thing for his friends. He was always quiet, but I always felt close with him. When you were born you reminded me of him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Can I ask another favor, grandma?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to make a room in the museum just for the four of them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And why is that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because they deserved to be remembered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina's eyes glistened with tears. She broke into a smile. "We'll start on it, tomorrow."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The next month was a blur. Mark and Yuta decided to write about something else rather than the necklace with the dragon emblem. In history books, that case had already been solved despite the fact that it wasn't the right verdict. Still, they decided to write about this ruby necklace instead that was stolen from a Duke's home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't as thrilling as what they experienced, but it was enough to get the grades they wanted for the term.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They didn't talk about what they've experienced. As the time passed, and the farther they got from 1942, everything felt like a dream.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A month later, with their requirement already passed and the semester already ending, Mark somehow questioned whether it actually happened or not.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>"So?" Jaemin asked the day after their final exam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So?" Mark reiterated, not really knowing what he should be answering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin sighed, putting his tray of food on the table rather forcefully. His milk carton got tipped over which Sungchan put upright for Jaemin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You went to this whole time-traveling adventure with your class partner, and you're telling me that's it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed. He had told Jaemin and Sungchan about his adventures in 1942 and despite the early hesitation to believe him, his two friends soon gave in. If only for the fact that they could ask him about events in 1942 that could help them in class. (Not that Mark actually got to find out a lot of stuff).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What else am I supposed to do?" Mark asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ask him out," Jaemin pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't even like him that way," Mark said, with a snicker. Jaemin groaned, unamused by the direction of the conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And yet you stare at his number all day in the dorm room," Sungchan remarked. Jaemin pointed to Sungchan, agreeing with his point.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why would I even like him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark, you don't just go to the past and back with someone and not expect to like them."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>For some odd reason, Mark found himself standing in front of the museum the next day contemplating why he was there in the first place. As he waited for a sign that he was doing the right thing, he didn't realize Yuta's grandmother appearing beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're Mark Lee," Mark jumped at the sound of the voice. He turned to Yuta's grandmother and bowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mina smiled, "My grandson told me all about your adventure. I daresay, you're not as shy as you were in 1942. Though I would like to think that the man I met then was wholly different from you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you ever meet them again?" Mark asked, unexpectedly. He covered his mouth guiltily, but Mina shook his head, as if used to the question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They just vanished one day. I've never met them again," Mina said with a sad smile. "They even left the necklace behind."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn't say anything more. Instead, she walked inside the house calling for her grandson.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mark," Yuta said as he walked out of the house. "What are you doing here?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark sighed, and started wiping his hands on his pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know this might be super random, and you're graduating and all, and I might not get another chance to ask, but would you like to go out with me?" Mark asked. "We could go to a museum."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta chuckled, shaking his head, "I'm pretty sure I'm done with museum's for a while."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mark grimaced, "Coffee then?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yuta smiled, "Let me just get a jacket." </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you enjoyed the fic. To my starhoneyy, thank you for being patient with me. You're the best. </p><p>Also thanks to Kingdom Come mods who've been working so hard and who also was just patient with me with this.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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